Dr Payi Linda Ford is Aboriginal and identifies as Rak Mak Mak Marranunggu, from Kurrindju, on the Finniss River, in the Northern Territory and is currently a Principal Research Fellow at Northern Institute at CDU, with whom she has a long association. Her knowledge, expertise and research in working with Indigenous groups is clearly invaluable to the Northern Institute. Dr Ford graduated with her PhD (Education), 2006 from Deakin University.

Linda understands and is familiar with Indigenous epistemological practices and its application to her research projects. Her knowledge and experience has informed her research practises to include ways of being, knowing and ability to lead and contribute to local, national and international research projects. The Indigenist research methodologies are applied to her research projects ie. Australian Research Council Projects, FRDC Aquaculture project and Plant Biosecurity research project.